US-RUSSIA NUCLEAR TREATY

AFP

Bolton in Moscow for talks

US must think twice: China

MOSCOW: House national security advisor John Bolton yesterday began two days of meetings with senior Russian officials following Washington's weekend announcement of its withdrawal from a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty, reports AFP.

The Moscow visit by Bolton was planned before the Saturday announcement by President Donald Trump that the US was ditching the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, a move Moscow has already denounced as "dangerous."

The treaty banning intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles was signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday said that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and was a "mistake".

Bolton arrived in Russia Sunday and is set to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On Monday morning he met his Russian counterpart, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.

On Tuesday he may also speak about the treaty with President Vladimir Putin, according to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the Russian leader was looking for "clarifications" about US intentions.

Peskov told journalists Monday that ditching the treaty "will make the world more dangerous" and rejected US claims Moscow has violated the pact, instead accusing Washington of doing so.

"It is the United States that is eroding the foundations and main elements of this pact" with its missile defense capabilities and drones, he said.

But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty.

"We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told reporters.

"Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," he said.

"And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to."

BEIJING: China yesterday called on the United States to "think twice" about its decision to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, reports AFP.

US President Donald Trump announced over the weekend his plan to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which banned ground-launch nuclear missiles with ranges from 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300 to 3,500 miles).

But Trump said the Russians had been violating it "for many years" and that China, not a signatory, remained free to develop such weapons.

Two top Republican lawmakers backed Trump's worries about China on Sunday, saying there are concerns the treaty is holding the US back while allowing China to move forward with its own developments.

"It needs to be emphasised that it is completely wrong to bring up China when talking about withdrawal from the treaty," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying Monday.

The treaty has played an important role in advancing the disarmament process and maintaining a strategic balance and global stability, Hua said.

"Unilateral withdrawal will have a multitude of negative effects," she told a regular news briefing.

Hua said China hoped the relevant parties can "think twice about the issue of withdrawing," in a reference to the US.

On Sunday Republican Senator Lindsey Graham backed Trump's plan to withdraw from the nuclear accord, saying the US needed to be free to respond to a Chinese nuclear build-up.

Washington has complained for nearly two years that a ground-launched missile system deployed by Russia breaches the treaty.

Another senior Republican, Senator Bob Corker, said on CNN that he hoped Trump's stance was designed merely to pressure Russia to return into compliance.

The landmark treaty was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and led to nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles being eliminated.

It put an end to a mini-arms race in the 1980s triggered by the Soviet Union's deployment of SS-20 nuclear missiles targeting Western European capitals.

EA

US-RUSSIA NUCLEAR TREATY

AFP

Bolton in Moscow for talks
US must think twice: China
MOSCOW: House national security advisor John Bolton yesterday began two days of meetings with senior Russian officials following Washingtons weekend announcement of its withdrawal from a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty, reports AFP.
The Moscow visit by Bolton was planned before the Saturday announcement by President Donald Trump that the US was ditching the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, a move Moscow has already denounced as dangerous.
The treaty banning intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles was signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday said that dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom and was a mistake.
Bolton arrived in Russia Sunday and is set to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On Monday morning he met his Russian counterpart, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.
On Tuesday he may also speak about the treaty with President Vladimir Putin, according to Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the Russian leader was looking for clarifications about US intentions.
Peskov told journalists Monday that ditching the treaty will make the world more dangerous and rejected US claims Moscow has violated the pact, instead accusing Washington of doing so.
It is the United States that is eroding the foundations and main elements of this pact with its missile defense capabilities and drones, he said.
But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty.
Were the ones who have stayed in the agreement and weve honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement, so were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out, he told reporters.
Russia has violated the agreement. Theyve been violating it for many years, he said.
And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) were not allowed to.
BEIJING: China yesterday called on the United States to think twice about its decision to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, reports AFP.
US President Donald Trump announced over the weekend his plan to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which banned ground-launch nuclear missiles with ranges from 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300 to 3,500 miles).
But Trump said the Russians had been violating it for many years and that China, not a signatory, remained free to develop such weapons.
Two top Republican lawmakers backed Trumps worries about China on Sunday, saying there are concerns the treaty is holding the US back while allowing China to move forward with its own developments.
It needs to be emphasised that it is completely wrong to bring up China when talking about withdrawal from the treaty, said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying Monday.
The treaty has played an important role in advancing the disarmament process and maintaining a strategic balance and global stability, Hua said.
Unilateral withdrawal will have a multitude of negative effects, she told a regular news briefing.
Hua said China hoped the relevant parties can think twice about the issue of withdrawing, in a reference to the US.
On Sunday Republican Senator Lindsey Graham backed Trumps plan to withdraw from the nuclear accord, saying the US needed to be free to respond to a Chinese nuclear build-up.
Washington has complained for nearly two years that a ground-launched missile system deployed by Russia breaches the treaty.
Another senior Republican, Senator Bob Corker, said on CNN that he hoped Trumps stance was designed merely to pressure Russia to return into compliance.
The landmark treaty was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and led to nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles being eliminated.
It put an end to a mini-arms race in the 1980s triggered by the Soviet Unions deployment of SS-20 nuclear missiles targeting Western European capitals.
EA

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